Waterproof ski boot



Jan. 17 1950 L. ROME 7 2,494,964

WATERPROOF SKI BOOT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 21, 1947 Jan. 17, 1950 Filed April 21, 1947 L. ROME WATERPROOF SKI BOOT 2 Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Lrou Roms BY s' iii/175N5 Patented Jan. '17, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WATERPROOF SKI BOOT Leon Rome, New York, N. Y.

Application April 21, 1947, Serial No. 742,848

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to an improved shoe or boot for use in skiing, and particularly to a construction developed to safely exclude snow, ice, mud and water from entering the shoe or boot.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a boot or shoe for use by skiers, having externally and internally guarded or protected lacing strips, which close all openings formed by the lacing holes or otherwise, and provide the necessary compression control. for the upper to fit the shoe or boot on the foot of the wearer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shoe upper with an integral tang cut from the pattern blank which forms the upper, binding flaps united to the sides of this tang, and an inner sealing gusset united to the sides formed by the cut-out tang, thereby providing three layers to guard the shoe or boot opening.

Astill further object of the invention is the provision of a shoe or boot having an upper pattern blank cut to form an outer tang, binding flaps united to the sides of this tang and provided with strap ends which can be tightened about the ankle of the foot of the wearer, lacing strips attached to the sides formed by the cut-out tang and provided with lace receiving holes, and an inner gusset united to the sides of the upper and provided with lacing holes matching those of the lacing strips, all so arranged that the shoe or boot is made virtually watertight or safe from penetration by snow and ice.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claim, in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved shoe or boot, showing the frontal opening completely closed for active service use of the shoe or boot.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, showing the heel wedge.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, showing the inner gusset, the lacing side strips and the integral frontal or outer tang forwardly displaced, to separate the parts.

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the pattern blank of the upper.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the same pattern blank, showing the lacing strips added to the sides of the blank having a portion of the outer tang broken away.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of the lacing strips.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but with the binding strips added.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the inside tongue.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken through one of the lacing strips.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the practical embodiment of the invention, [0 designates a shoe or boot having a sole l'l, heel I2, and an upper l3.

The upper is made from a blank or pattern, shown in Fig. 4, which is centrally cut to provide an integral frontal or outer tang l4, and right and left wings l5 and I6. The pattern is cut to provide divergent side edges ll and I8, a V-shaped opening or recess l9, and the frontal or outer tang Hi. The apex of the V-shaped opening or recess I9 is centered midway of the sides of the tang l4, so that a triangular area 20 extends from the end of the tang M at one side thereof, and another triangular area 2i extends from the end of the tang H1 at the other side thereof, looking at the pattern blank in its initial flat condition.

The outer edges of the pattern blank for the upper are united by the usual seam stitching to the sole, so that the side wings 22 and. 23 form the sides of the upper. A back strap 24 is secured at the vertical seam 25 established between the meeting rear edges of the pattern blank, and the lower end of this back strap is secured under the upper against the upper side of the heel l2.

To the right side or edge 26 of the upper a lacing strip 21 is secured by edge stitching 28, and this lacing strip is provided with lacing holes 29. To the opposite or left side or edge 30 of the upper another lacing strip 3| is secured by the edge stitching 32, and this lacing strip is formed with lacing holes 33.

The gap established by the space between the side edges 26 and 30 is bridged by an internal gusset or tongue 34, which is united by edge stitching to the sides 26 and 30, but against the inner surfaces of the upper. This internal gusset or tongue is made of flexible leather or other acceptable material, so that the central portion thereof can be gathered into folds.

This inner gusset or tongue is formed with edge lacing holes 35 on one side thereof, adapted. to match the holes 29 of the lacing strip 21, and on the other side with edge lacing holes 36, adapted to match the holes 33 of the lacing strip 3|.

A binding strip 31 is attached to one side of the frontal or outer tang l4, and this strip is formed with or provided with a flexible strap extention 38, and another binding strip 39 is at- 3 tached to the other side of the tang M, and this binding strip is formed with or provided with a strap extension 40, having a buckle 4| Or other form of a connector, which is engaged by the perforated end portion 38 of the strap extension 38.

After the shoe or boot has been mounted on the foot of the user, the lacing is completed, with the outer tang I4 displaced forwardly so as to allow complete freedom in lacing the shoe or boot. This lacing operation will tighten the upper about the ankle of the wearer, and thereby move the sides 26 and 30 toward each other.

The outer tang I4 is then placed over the lacing strips 21 and 3|, and the binding strips 31 and 39 which are attached to the side edges of the outer tang l4 widen the effective width of the front or outer tang, so that it adequately covers the gap between the side edges 26 and 30 of the upper.

By tightening the strap ends or extensions 38 and "40 about the ankle of the foot of the user, the outer tang I4 will be compressed under tension against the lacing strips 21 and 3!, and the gap or opening of the upper will be eifectively guarded outside and inside, and snow, ice, water and mud will be effectively excluded, so that the foot of the user will be safely protected.

The front of the shoe or boot therefore comprises three successive layers, arranged in a form to provide an effective cushion for the forward part of the foot arch, and tightly secured to exclude all foreign matter.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that I do not limit myself to the present showing or precise construction disclosed, and the right is hereby reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

In a ski boot having a one-piece upper, an outer tang cut from the front of the upper leaving a front opening as wide as the width of said outer tang, lacing strips attached to the inner faces of the edge portions of the material of the upper defining said front opening, said lacing strips being extended toward each other and formed with lacing holes, a one-piece internal gusset extended across said front opening and having its side edges secured to the inner faces of the edge portions of the lacing strips, said internal gusset being formed with lacing holes aligned with the lacing holes of said lacing strips, and means for securing said outer tang in position over said internal gusset and said lacing strips,. said securing means comprising flexible straps attached to the sides of said outer tang and extendable about the shoe upper to have their adjacent ends secured together behind the shoe upper.

LEON ROME.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 200,818 Bond Mar. 5, 1878 766,709 LeLievre Aug. 2, 1904 1,002,731 Mitchell Sept. 5, 1911 2,109,751 Matthias Mar. 1, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 468,949 Great Britain July 12, 1937 

